Ok, I'm going with this, I think it also has the advantage that there is some very complicated reading at the end of my anticipated sequences. I can't read anything that looks like a disaster for me, and the results feel at worst even, which means adding complications right now is probably a good thing. I can't help that feel this is a very topazg sort of bad move though - just a vibe I'm getting - and that the best result would have been one of "a" or "b" in the previous thoughts.
[go]$$W $$ . . . . . . . . | $$ . . . W . O 3 . | $$ . . . . B O X . | $$ . . . . O X . 2 | $$ . . O . O X . . | $$ . . . O X X . . | $$ . . . . . . . . | $$-----------------[/go]
For kyu levels, moves like do not decide the game. But for pros, B suffers a loss in Variation K when compared to Joseki A. So when W plays the double-hane , B basically only has two choices, (a) or (b), depending on which ponnuki B wants:
As there are some fun comments, I thought I'd explain some of my thinking behind (for observers, obviously )
Extending along the bottom from Black's shimari is rarely a "bad" move, so even if the last two moves had been the following, I think Black is reasonably happy:
Of course, with my thickness, I stand to do ok out of this too, but it seems reasonable to think that if Black manages to reduce the lower-right/middle, particularly in sente, this kind of extension is going to bring some reward to Black. So, if I respond simply by blocking:
It won't be long before and are settled well enough for Black to play this marked stone, and I get very little from the exchange. I'm not even sure if is all that unreasonable, as Black's shape hardly crumples:
I may be able to build up an attack here, but it's not clear to me how to use any resulting strength, and that area was supposed to be able to turn into points for me at some point. The reason I neglected blocking the other side, is I think that's only particularly useful if I can make the Black stones a target. It's possible I could play this way:
Simply opting here to make my points on the lower edge, but and don't seem to achieve much other than give Black's group more liberties, and thus more strength. As a result, my move instead aims at area "a":
Not only that, but I'm hoping I can induce Black into encouraging me to take the extension at "b", removing Black's nice extension, keeping my stones safe, and hopefully will turn out to be really awkward for Black to settle his stones acceptably.
This could get hairy... no need to give Black this sort of scope for interesting moves.
In my mind, if you aren't strong enough to hane here, you weren't strong enough to try the cap in the first place. This situation is so terrible for white. Because black has the turn at a, white's stones can be disconnected and so they are pretty weak. It would be very painful for white to connect his stones in gote, so this will be a big endgame point.
This looks so much better to me than what happened in the game. I'm not sure that I'd choose to cap in a situation like this, myself, but if I did, I'd definitely push once first.
White also talked about having an extension along the left side. If that's what he wants, I don't know why he wouldn't just play something like this:
Mmm, I don't know quite why I didn't expect Black just to push this way, my cap looks a bit out of place right now. However, I'm not completely clear yet on how Black's going to use it to attack, and I have prevented any really useful extension for Black. It just feels like I've lost half a move somewhere, but nothing too unhappy. I think blocking underneath at the beginning was probably safest after all!
I chose this because I think Black's more likely to profit from poking at the cut (or cutting directly later) if I hane, than if he takes the shape point now. I'm also toying with the possibility of blocking if he takes the shape point, as the push and cut doesn't kill anything (although it's a bit squeezy and awkward). I also prefer my corner aji this way.
Well, it was the shape point or here, but as doesn't put too much pressure on my stones, I can use this opportunity to reinforce slightly I think. I'll be honest, I'm really disappointed with my choices so far. I've played 15 moves, and I'd call 3 of them outright mistakes already, which is pretty embarrassing so early on. I'd estimate White is 5-10 points behind, but that's not too disastrous, so I'm still happy enough with this much game left, but I'm going to have to get my brain in gear a bit more.
White's play here really feels a bit unnatural - 30 is particularly jarring. Feels like tenuki to left side is OK. Otherwise it seems like black can extend and white may have trouble breaking out near F5 due to the group at H3 being weak (may be separated).
There are of course other variations, but from what I read out, I think I a reduction, and I also get deeper into his moyo, or strength facing my Shimari.
Am I the only one who thinks black's play (take territory, then immediately play to take the outside as well) is one often used by white in high handi games? :p
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